News

Contingency Plan for Trawlers Affected by Ban Makes Progress

07 March 2013

ECUADOR - The Deputy Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries MAGAP has introduced, in the city of Manta, a report on the progress of the Contingency Plan for the suspension of shrimp trawling in Ecuador.

Deputy Minister of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Guillermo Moran Velasquez stated that the government has made a joint effort with the National Finance Corporation and the National Development Bank to deliever credit lines to fishermen who are unable to capture shrimp after the trawling ban.

In the case of the crew, a total of 81 crew presented their production projects to the National Development Bank, which will gives loans up to $300,000 with a five per cent subsidised rate.

National Finance Corporation CFN credits that have been approved for the owners of boats totaling $5,185,000. A further three million dollars is being debated.

Regarding shipowners that have asked for quotas in other fish stocks, 13 applications have been approved for multipurpose gill fishing, surface or bottom and bottom longline hooks.

A further five for eel fishery, two deep longline hooks for cod, 10 purse seine fishery for small pelagic, eight for surface longline hooks for large pelagics, two for giant squid have also been approved.

Compensation is also being offered for 62 boats which are leaving the industry completely.

Another alternative within the Contingency Plan is the experimental fishing of hake, involving 11 boats.

With these alternatives, the Government has delivered, to effected crew and ship owners, facilities to move into a new source of jobs, improving their quality of socioeconomic life.